! Shadow Forest ! guild

The Shattering has hit. Azeroth is partly destroyed, cities are in ruins, demolished, scattered and the earth beneath our feet has cracked open with dark alcoves buried deep under the debris and nothing but new monstrosities emerging from underground caves. So where shall we go… to the left where nothing is right, or the to right where nothing is left? Perfect timing for the brave adventurers amongst us (we all have a little Lara inside, let’s face it!) to pick up Archeology, the new secondary profession, we will all be eligible to knock ourselves out upon. As an inspired Archaeologist, you will visit these ruins and study them, uncover hidden clues in the world, finding map fragments, deciphering them, formulating notes, researching, finding ancient treasures and make new exciting discoveries. Right up your alley? I thought so!

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How does it work?

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1. Surveying

Upon learning Archaeology, you will receive the ability Survey (just like mining has smelting, jewelcrafting has prospecting, etc.). This skill allows you to gather fragments of a certain type, which will unlock the corresponding field of research. There are 12 fields to explore, each relating to a race in Cataclysm.

You will be able to see digsites on your ingame map (not minimap, the actual map!): 4 digsites are available per continent, -16 sites in total all over the world-, but you can only find sites in zones of your level or lower. Basically this means you won’t have any digsites available in Northrend or Outlands until you have skilled up, somewhat consistent with other gathering skills. Obviously, higher skill equals better fragments while surveying and equals better rewards.

Sites are race specific and you will usually be able to guess the race of research by the location.

These sites will not change until you dig one out. Surveying is player specific and not player competitive, as you will be zoned or “phased out” while surveying. No one can gank your node, hoorrah.

Each digsite can be surveyed 3 times before it despawns and a new site spawns elsewhere in the world.

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2. Researching

Upon discovering a new fragment for a race, you’ll start a research project. When you have enough fragments, simply click “Solve” to complete that artifact. The excess fragments you had in your inventory will not be wasted, they will just start the next project.

You can only work on one artifact per race at a time but you can be working on different races at the same time.

Artifacts will go into a new journal instead of your inventory, giving you a little bit of lore and explanation, with a listing of artifacts, relics, and related reagents and tasks, as well as artwork and a description for each relic. Artifacts are also given a “black market value”, indicating that they can perhaps be sold for profit.

Placing an artifact in your journal will allow you to “study” it and progressively unlock new rewards.
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3. Artifacts and rewards

Artifacts come in all colours and flavours. Upon researching them, you will unlocks unique rewards such as vanity pets, mounts, and other shinies with occasional rare quality weapons or armor. (These pieces of armor are bound on account. They aren’t heirlooms and they don’t scale, but you can pass them around characters). You will never get a rare artifact more than once.

Some artifact researches have sockets on the bottom of the research window tab. Fill these sockets with race specific items, they will add a count of 12 fragments to your research. You will come to find those very handy when leveling up.

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4. Archeology trainers

Archaeology trainers can be found in the capital cities.
Harrison Jones and Darnella Winford in Stormwind, Diya in Exodar for Alliance
Belloc Brightblade in Orgrimmar and Adam Hossack in Undercity for hordes.

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Archeology Skill Levels

Archaeology has set levels at which players can solve artifacts from different cultures. Fragments collected before players reach the appropriate level are hidden from view until they have reached the appropriate level for that culture and have found more fragments from that culture, at which time the previously collected fragments for that culture are made available.

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Ello, I'm Sumanhi. I play a Nelf resto druid on Dragonblight EU and a small arsenal of healer alts. I've been a resto since early Vanilla so it's pretty fair to assume I've healed a lot. A whole lot. And then some more. Topics on this blog can cover pretty much anything related to WoW and pie.